Patriots coach Vrabel has had ‘difficult’ conversations after publication of Russini photos | New England Patriots
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said he had “difficult” conversations after photographs of him and NFL reporter Dianna Russini were made public earlier this month.
Russini resigned from her position at The Athletic after the New York Post published photos of her and Vrabel kissing and holding hands at an Arizona resort. The couple are married to different people and have said their relationship is platonic.
Vrabel addressed the subject for the first time publicly on Tuesday.
“I’ve had some tough conversations with people I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” Vrabel told reporters. “These have been positive and productive. We believe that to be successful on and off the field is to make good decisions. That includes me, it starts with me. We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be a distraction. These are comments and questions that I have answered for the team and with the team. We will keep them private and for ourselves.”
Vrabel led the Patriots to February’s Super Bowl, where they lost to the Seattle Seahawks, in his first season with the team. He was named Associated Press coach of the year for his accomplishments, turning around a team that finished 4-13 the previous season.
The NFL said it would not investigate Vrabel over the Russini photos. Its personal conduct policy states: “All those who are part of the league must refrain from any ‘conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in’ the NFL.”
Vrabel thanked members of the media during his appearance Tuesday for their patience.
“I know this is not easy for you, I respect that and I appreciate your efforts to achieve this,” he said. “I understand that I could have addressed you earlier, but it was important for me to have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday, quite frankly, as we began our offseason program, which everyone is excited to be a part of.”
He added that he is focused on this week’s draft, which begins Thursday.
“I don’t want to take away from the draft either, draft weekend. It’s an important time for us, our organization and the excitement and joy that these players are going to have and that we bring to our football team,” Vrabel said. “They are embarking on an incredible journey, one that deserves to be celebrated as we welcome them to our team.”
Russini announced his resignation on April 14 amid an internal investigation at The Athletic, owned by the New York Times.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every article I have published,” Russini said in a letter sent to Athletic editor Steven Ginsberg. “When the Page Six article first appeared, The Athletic unequivocally supported me, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. I am grateful. In the days since, unfortunately, commentators in various media outlets have engaged in self-perpetuating speculation that is simply disconnected from the facts.
“Furthermore, this media frenzy is unleashed without regard to the review process that The Athletic is attempting to carry out. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in subjecting myself to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am prepared to accept. Rather than allow this to continue, I have decided to step down now – before my current contract expires on June 30. I am not doing this because I accept the narrative that was built around this episode, but because I refuse to give it more oxygen or let it define me or my career.
